1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a joinery molding and method of joining an upstanding panel, such as a back splash to a base, such as a counter top, and more particularly, to a non-laminated, plastic, solid surface cove molding for joining two 90.degree. related parts such as a back splash mounted on a non-laminated, plastic, solid surface counter top.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objects
Counter tops for kitchens, bathrooms, and the like are normally installed with a back splash which extends upwardly a short distance above the counter top work surface. It has been conventional to provide a cove molding at the junction of a laminated counter top and laminated back splash such as that disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,937, issued to H. B. Murray on Mar. 19,1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,829.730 issued to Allen Zeilinger on May 16, 1989.
In recent years, countertops and back splashes have frequently been manufactured with non-laminated, plastic, solid surfacing material which is preferable by consumers in many instances because of its finish, cleaning ability, high durability and aesthetics. Such plastic solid surfacing materials are sold under the trademark "CORIAN" which is owned by the E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Inc., of Wilmington, Del. This product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,666 issued to Chris R. Peters on Sep. 26, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,865 issued to R. B. Duggins on Nov. 12, 1974, which are incorporated herein by reference. The product is a substantially rigid, non-foamed, non-laminated, non-coated solid material composed primarily of acrylic components.
The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,666 discloses a counter top and back splash, manufactured with CORIAN material, having a cove lip integral with the back splash and received in a dado provided in the upper surface of the counter top. The prior art integral back splash construction has several disadvantages including the complexity of manufacture and the susceptibility of breakage and expense. If a user wants to couple a relatively short portion of a back splash to a counter top, the prior art construction cost is relatively high because the back splashes are typically manufactured in 12 foot sections and thus a relatively expensive back splash and molding must be purchased in order to accommodate the short section required. Moreover, the integral cove lip and back splash, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,666, restricts the interchange of back splashes of different materials which can be utilized with the CORIAN material counter top. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel joinery molding for joining two right angularly related parts.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel cove molding for joining a back splash and a counter top.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel joinery method of joining two right angularly related parts.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel cove molding which, prior to installation, is independent of the back splash and counter top.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel cove molding, and method of installing a cove molding, which can couple a non-laminated plastic solid surface base to any selected one of a plurality of different upstanding panel of different materials.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a molding and method of installing a molding which has a horizontal leg that is received in a slot provided in an upper surface of a horizontal base, such as a counter top, to be joined to an upstanding panel, such as a back splash.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a molding and method of installing a molding of the type described comprising a horizontal leg including a top surface having a front end which is disposed flush with the upper surface of a base, such as a counter top, to be joined to an upstanding panel, such as a back splash.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a back splash molding and method of installing a cove molding of the type described including a horizontal leg having a front face provided with an upper end which is disposed in the plane of the upper surface of the counter top.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a back splash molding and method of installing a cove molding of the type described including a front face and a curvilinear top face which are joined along an upper front edge which is flush with the upper surface of the counter top.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a molding of the type described including a vertical leg having an elongate upper end surface which is downwardly forwardly inclined.
It is still further another object of the present invention to provide a molding of the type described including a curvilinear front surface which has an upper end that lies in the plane of the front surface of an upstanding panel to be joined to a horizontal base.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an elongate cove molding and method of installing a cove molding which has a vertical leg provided with an elongate, downwardly forwardly inclined upper end surface having a forward end which lies in the plane of the front surface of an upstanding panel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a back splash molding including an upstanding leg having a front curvilinear surface and a top downwardly inclined surface joined at an edge which lies in the plane of the front surface of the back splash molding.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a horizontal non-laminated plastic solid surface counter top having an upwardly opening recess adjacent a rear edge thereof, a back splash having the lower front end portion provided with a downwardly and forwardly opening notch therein, and an elongate cove molding having a horizontal leg received by the upwardly opening recess and an upstanding leg received by the downwardly opening notch in the back splash.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a molding strip for sealing a solid surface counter top to any one of a plurality of different back splashes via adhesive placed therebetween to provide a tightly closed, virtually imperceptible joint therebetween.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cove molding of the type received which has a vertical leg received in a downwardly forwardly opening notch provided in an upstanding panel to be joined to a horizontal base.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cove molding of the type described having a vertical leg received in a notch provided in the back splash and cooperating male and female members on the back splash and the vertical leg for precluding relative forward movement of the cove molding relative to the back splash.
With continued use and the settling of building materials, etc., it frequently occurs with the prior art counter tops and back splashes, that the moldings, back splashes and countertops tend to move and separate relative to each other. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and novel cove molding of the type described which will interlock the counter top to the cove molding to prevent relative movement therebetween.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of installing a solid surface joinery molding which will lock a base, such as a counter top, to an upstanding panel, such as a back splash, to inhibit relative movement thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of installing a cove molding which will lock the molding to a base and an upstanding panel to be joined thereto.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of installing a back splash molding in a downwardly opening notch provided in a back splash so that the upper front end of the vertical cove molding leg is flush with the front back splash surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a joinery method and apparatus for joining a solid surface base, such as a counter top to an upstanding panel mounted thereon, such as a back splash which is relatively thin.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.